It Is What It Is

Yes, I did say that I should post more frequently, but this is not what I had in mind. It is 2:30 in the morning and this is the third time I have been up with Mom. In spite of the fact that I have the monitor right beside me on the loudest setting, I missed the first time a little bit. By the time I awakened, Mom was fully dressed at 11:00 and sitting at the kitchen table having coffee and a Nonni. During the day, we keep what coffee Joe and I don't drink before work, in a carafe that keeps the coffee warm throughout the day. Mom had poured her coffee, put the creamer in and dunked her Nonni. I put a confused but fairly compliant woman back to bed in her pajamas and clean underwear and said good night. Time has no meaning right now, but the next time I was awakened by noise from her room, I found her standing beside her dresser with the drawer open, pushing a pizzelle into her mouth like a little chipmunk. Remember? Mom had hidden them in her room the other day so that they would not be eaten by Stacey and David and to "save some for Becky." I offered her a glass of water but she refused. Back to bed. A short time ago, since I had not been able to fall back asleep, I heard her up and met Mom in the kitchen turning the light on again. She sat at the table while I started her laundry, cleaned up the living room, loaded the dishwasher and put a clean cloth on the dining room table. When I shut the overhead light off in the kitchen and turned on the light over the sink suggesting that other people needed to sleep, Mom did wander back to her room where she is lying on the bed with the light on in there.

I only mention all of this at this hour because I may need witnesses at my trial to the fact that I was sleep deprived and not in my right mind.

New strategy today:

1. Becky is not to let Mom sleep past 9:00 but is to go in and clean her bathroom and turn on all the lights and get her up out of the bed.
2. If Mom is back in bed still by 1:00, Becky is to tell her that lunch is ready and to get up to eat it.
3. Then, Mom is not to go back to bed. They can sing, do the jig, walk the dogs, go for ice cream, whatever - but she is not to sleep the afternoon away.
4. If none of the above work, I may meet you here tomorrow morning as well.

Thanks for keeping me company in my heart and mind as I think of you and your love and support for Mom and for me. I love you all! Goodnight! or should I say Good Morning? Either way, GOOD is the operative word!